Idli Manchurian, a delicious snack made using the leftover idlis is a fusion food of Indo Chinese and South Indian Cuisine. The process of making this manchurian is similar to Paneer Manchurian, but idli pieces are used instead of paneer cubes. First, the batter coated idli pieces are shallow fried or deep fried until crispy and then tossed in the machurian sauce. If you have leftover idlis (or fresh idlis) and 20-25 minutes of time, then follow the below given recipe with step by step photos to make a mouth watering afternoon snack.

Note:You can deep fry the idli pieces instead of shallow frying in step-5. If you are in a hurry, just shallow fry the idli pieces without coating with batter until light golden brown(don’t make the batter, skip step-3 and step-4).

Directions:

Chop all the veggies and keep aside until required.

Cut idlis into small bite-size pieces. If possible, use leftover idlis for the best result. If you are using fresh idlis, keep them in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes before cutting to prevent them from crumbling.

Add water little by little and make a smooth batter. It should have dripping consistency and not be very thick. Add 4-6 idli pieces in the batter at a time.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a non-stick pan or tava over medium flame for shallow frying. Use a non-stick pan or a heavy based iron pan to prevent sticking. Coat the idli pieces evenly with the batter and place on heated pan.

Shallow fry them until light golden brown and crispy from all sides. Flip 2-3 times in between to shallow fry them evenly. If you like, you can deep fry them instead of shallow frying.